Killarny National Park and Doolin

This is my last post and its going to be short as I have limited time and this computer has no USB on it for me to add photos.

The Nation Park was amazing, the sights of mountains and lakes were just great. Well worth taking bikes as it would have taken too long to walk.

I stayed in Killarny another night so my companion, Caitlin, could join me on the trip up to Doolin.
We went to the Cliffs of Mohir and then on to Doolin.

Now, Doolin, I could have stayed there and not come back. I originally wanted to go to Galway before I left but after staying in Doolin one night I had to stay for another. The hostel was really good and everyone there was so friendly. Also the traditional music! Man, I wish I booked the whole week to stay there.

But now... I'm back in Dublin ready to back tomorrow. Very sad to leave Caitlin and all my new friends I made here but I hope to keep in contact with them.

Talking of new friends I have one waiting for me to finish writing this so I shall see you all soon too fill in the gaps of my story. Its far more amazing than I've made it sound.

I will be coming back, no question!

(side note, apparently some Irish people said to me that they don't consider Devon to be part of england. This is good as some places aren't keen on the english I hear :) )

Exciting times

Ok so where was I?

Yes I was going to the next day in Killkenny music festival!


Left start exactly from where I left the internet cafe. Well actually that was a nice surprise as I was copying music off my ipod to put on cd for the car I helped the guy on the counter and some customers, when it came to pay the guy only charged me 2Euro instead of 8 for the help I gave!

Can be useful knowing this stuff sometimes.

When hanging out in Kilkenny with those guys I didn't take much pictures as I was drinking during the day on Monday.



Though I saw some good bands and bought some CD's. One band who were good fun were called the Hillbilly Casino, great fun to watch as they didn't take them selves seriously.

That evening I left the others earlier as I didn't want to be hungover in the morning for my drive to Cork.

Before I left I checked out the Kilkenny park, around the castle, which was brilliant. With some really nice stuff. One that stands out was the monument to missing people:

People come to add a iron hand to show their belief they will find that person one day. (as explained to me by a guy called Morris from Manchester who I met there)

Being a bank holiday it was quiet and not much to see or do in cork, but the drive down was amazing so I kept stopping to take photos which I will show anyone when I get back.


In that hostel I met some Koren guy called Kay and a canadian called Paul.
(Now I could go into their stories but I don't have much time today as I'm going to Killarny Nation Park).


So moving on to Tuesday, as I left Cork I went to Blarney, to see the Stone of Eloequence (blarney stone). When I got there I saw the amazing castle and house. I also found out that if you kiss the stone you are blessed with Eloequence, or also called the gift of the gab!




I bet I know what people reading this are thinking now. I didn't need to. But I did, now my powers of constant gab are unstoppable. A talking force to be reckoned with. It worried me that I might over load with this must tlaking power.... Anyway!


I drove down to Kinsale and along the coast. Since being in Ireland my sense of direction has improved, dramatically! Since I was amazing at completely getting lost I have been gussing my position by the sun to I know I'm going in the right direction. Signs are fewer than in England and signs saying Cork ment the county not the city (which confused me) but in the end my instincts were right and I got all the way to Mizen Head then up to Bantry then through Kenmare.


Now this was amazing.

The sights of driving along moutains were breath taking, to say the least! I can't describe so I'll show a picture.

Once I finished constantly pullign over to take pictures I carryed on to Killarny. This is a nice little town and I found the hostel easily enough. Had another pub lunch and watched some Irish band.


Wednesday, I was planning on looking at the national park, but I got chatting with a Canadian girl called Caitlin, she told me about this tour of Dingle Peninsula so I thought why not as it will save me from driving and I can go to the park on Thursday.


It was me her and some older american people. The driver (Paddy!) was very funny and took us around the coast where we stopped and saw all kinds of cool sights.

(Look up King Puck and also the dolphin of dingle)


There was also these stone building which people lived in during the Potato famine, amazing little structures which wetre made of stone stacked in such a aw they made a small hut, with noting holding them together.


I'll have to leave it there, as time is getting away and I want to rent a bike for today, I'll be driving up to Doolin tonight probably.


I'll update as soon as I can. (Think of how much I could write if I had the time!)

My Car and the Killkenny music festival

Well day 3 was really me getting out of Dublin. Said my good byes to Eva and the other girls and helped Larrisa get the car we used on Friday back to Thriffty. We then posted some of her stuff back to america and we parted ways.

I caught a bus to the airport to hire a car from there as it will be easier to take back to the air port and I was off!

Here is my ride. A Fiat Bravo, does the job in my opinon. The ride down to Killkenny was really nice wonderful views, people are not wrong about how Ireland looks.
When I finally got to Killkenny and settled into a B&B the layd there tells me there is a music festival on.
I'm so lucky.
Now, I realised something over the last few days. I know I've always managed to find nice people to hang out with. I truly believe I attract people of this nature. (by the way I have realised that all the people in my photos are girls....) Again last night my politeness was brought up again, it seems the irish are't used to the english gentleman either. Out of the two groups I've met I've been labelled "Cheeky Brit" and "English Gentleman". I like both.

Here is one picture of a couple of the people I met last night in the pub. On the left is Barbara and then Grace. Also, for some reason I don't have their pictures on my camera, are Gary and Phillipa.

They are from Kerry here for the festival, now I was only planing on going and listening to some bands and wandering back to the B&B around 10.30. However these lovely irish people got me drunk and I was out till 2.30ish from what I can remember. Also they persuaded me (really had to twist my arm) to stay for the last night of the festival with them. So I've booked into the hostel today and I'll meet them later.

About the festival, its not huge, just bands in different pubs around Killkeny, but the atmosphere is great. I might have to come back next year. I saw a irish guy playing irish country music, which is always good. And some band Swing Street Band (Ragtime, Jump and Boogie) and then Tom Fun Orchestra which is kind of rock.

Heres a link http://www.kilkennyroots.com/
I got pretty wasted after that.

I'll leave you for now, probably update again in a couple of days.

This is was amazing to see, Larrisa and I hired a car and drove to Wicklow. This is the Wicklow national park and look 2 hours to walk round but for the views I saw, well worth it.

The second photo is my possibly my favourite.

And the one above is prove I was there.

Thats all for today I'm afraid, I got have breakfast and find my own car.

Companions

My companions for the first day.

Left: Eva

Right: Larissa

Really nice girls, Larrisa helped me and Eva bit as shes been here before, after been travelling for almost 6 months she is confident about just going anywhere with out any hesitation.

Surprisingly Dublin is very small and you walk to any land mark with little hassle.

Me standing like an stange man at St Stephen's Green.

I've got more photos of this place as it looked great, but I've not got time for sitting here to upload them all.

First and Second days

Well what can I say, Ireland is just as nice as people say.
I got off the plane and on the bus and met two nice people straight away.
Larrisa, American girl who has been travelling for the last 6 months and Eva an Austrian girl who, just like me has decided to go away for the sake of it.
I spent the 1st day wandering around Dublin with them, it seems foreign girls do appreciate the British politeness just like Mr Coleman says. I've got some good photos to show, but its late and I've checked into another Hostel tonight. I'll try to post them tomorrow if I find some time.
Today I've been to Wicklow national park, which was breath taking. I got there by hiring a car with Larrisa, who has never driven on the left hand side. So I found myself teaching her about round abouts and positioning whikle driving in a busy city! She was quick to learn though and only clipped the curb once...
Tomorrow I'll be getting my own car and making the drive down south to KillKenny. I hope to get a bed and breakfast as parking a car near a hostel is a pain in the ass as I found out today.
Well better get to bed as I am shattered!
Look forward to the next update
Matt.
P.s. My accent is getting better already! And so is my american one.